A copy of your most recently audited Church accounts. Please also include the accounts of any associated bodies (e.g. Friends) who have the upkeep of the church as their main objective.

Any other information if you think that it is necessary to explain your particular situation. Additional information is not a requirement for a grant, and architectural specifications detailed costings and building consents etc are not required, however brief summaries or a photograph or two can be useful in some cases.

Applications can be made as soon as the work has been defined and budget estimates are available. Firm quotations from tenderers are not required. Nor is it necessary to have obtained all the permissions before applying for a grant, although any grant offer that we make will be conditional on the permissions being obtained.

Please apply, by email if possible, to debsutch@btinternet.com, otherwise by post to Deb Sutch, Nevill Lodge, Town Hill, West Malling ME19 6TF.

Timetable for FKC grants

We offer grants twice a year: at meetings of the Executive Committee in January and July. The sequence of events is as follows:

Applications should be sent to the secretary (debsutch@btinternet.com) by 1st May or 1st November. We will try to fit in applications received after this if possible. In any case it is as well to send in applications as soon as they are ready, and to give the secretary warning of applications to be made near the deadline.

When we receive your application, we will check it and probably contact you to discuss the work and your funding. We do not have formal architectural or financial requirements, leaving those to your architects and treasurer, and the church and civil authorities. However we do check that the proposals are sensible, and we do want to understand your true need, and to check the architectural merit or historic interest of your church or chapel. We are also likely to arrange to visit you to see the proposed work and discuss your finances with you.

In early June and early December the Grants sub-committee meets to consider the applications, and to draw up proposed grant offers for the approval of the Executive Committee.

In early July and early January the proposed grant offers are submitted to the Executive Committee, and the secretary will let you know of the result of your application after this meeting.

When the work has been done, or at least an architect’s certificate has been issued for part of it exceeding the value of the Friends’ grant, send a copy of the certificate to the secretary who will arrange payment to you. We would prefer to do this electronically, so if this is possible, please include your bank details. If you do not have an architect supervising the work, please contact the secretary to agree an equivalent proof that work to the value of the grant has been done satisfactorily.

Friends of Kent Churches grant offers are initially valid for two years. If you have not claimed your grant in that time, the offer will be reviewed and may be withdrawn if the project is not proceeding.